Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord Implored to Avenge His People.

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “^(A)Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” ¹⁵ Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then ^[a]she went into the city. ¹⁶ When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “^[b]How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. ¹⁷ She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” ¹⁸ Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter ^[c]turns out; for the man will not rest until he has ^[d]settled it today.”

The Marriage of Ruth

4 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, ^(B)the ^[e]close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, ^[f]friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. ² He took ten men of the ^(C)elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. ³ Then he said to the ^[g]closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land ^(D)which belonged to our brother Elimelech. ⁴ So I thought to ^[h]inform you, saying, ‘^(E)Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if ^[i]not, tell me that I may know; for ^(F)there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’” And he said, “I will redeem it.” ⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order ^(G)to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” ^6 (H)The ^[j]closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would ^[k]jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.”

⁹ A widow is to be ^(A)put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been ^(B)the wife of one man, ¹⁰ having a reputation for ^(C)good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has ^(D)shown hospitality to strangers, if she ^(E)has washed the ^[a]saints’ feet, if she has ^(F)assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. ¹¹ But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel ^(G)sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, ¹² thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous ^[b]pledge. ¹³ At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also ^(H)gossips and ^(I)busybodies, talking about ^(J)things not proper to mention. ¹⁴ Therefore, I want younger widows to get ^(K)married, bear children, ^(L)keep house, and ^(M)give the enemy no occasion for reproach; ¹⁵ for some ^(N)have already turned aside to follow ^(O)Satan. ¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer ^(P)has dependent widows, she must ^(Q)assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are ^(R)widows indeed.